Various Artists - Impossible EP, Chapter 4 (Rebus Records)

The Impossible series of EPs is a place for artists and producers in the Proceed and Rebus Records families to stretch out a bit and try some new sounds. If a track doesn’t quite sonically fit on an artist’s EP on those labels but still has the quality and dance floor appeal that demands to be heard then this is the place for it. The Impossible EP, Chapter 4 solidifies the series as a fixture, once again gathering five tracks from some shining Italian producers for another showcase on the Rebus Records sub-label, named after popular nightclub of the same name.

Proceed’s proprietor, DJ / producer Haldo (who has also released cuts through Transport Recordings, Conya, and Adaptation Music), re-touches a silky-smooth, low-slung groove by fellow Rebus club resident Giuseppe Mancuso on "I'm Back", guiding the producer towards his first introduction to the label side of the club and proving disco never dies. In completely different form and showcasing another lush sound, Haldo's original "Sleepin' Travel" features a squelchy, full-bodied bass line with deep combinations of piano stabs and revolving synth crescendos. Continuing the bass's theme, Italian veteran Fabrizio Marra (Musoul, Liberate) turns in a storming diva house number titled "Lola" that captures the glamor of a NY ballroom with the edginess of a warehouse. Proceed and Rebus label regular DJ E-Ro then creates a spacious and dubby late night atmosphere for "My Friend", where infectious hand percussion, dramatic strings, and vocals urge for the dancing to never end. Another name familiar to both imprints, Odo Makes A Smile, delivers in similar fashion on "Flashback To The Past", but this time with more urgency packed into a techno format and featuring an arpeggiated, Italo-style melodic breakdown.

Taken together, the release proves that the Impossible series' charm has yet to wear off.

Jask - "Top notch tracks!"
Graeme Park - "An intriguingly seductive selection of appealing, deep, chunky grooves."
Gene Hunt (Rush Hour / Dope Wax) - "Nice project … I'm digging the vibes."
Dave Mayer (Strictly Rhythm / Hardsoul) - "Giuseppe Mancuso's cut is perfect for the upcoming summer season at my beach residency."
Natural Rhythm - "I love the variety on this one. Haldo's 'Sleepin' Travel' is classic deepness."
Giom - "Cool tracks."
Abicah Soul - "Fabrizio Marra's 'Lola' is my taste!"
Mauricio Aviles (Movido / Loveslap!) - "I'm really liking the variation in deep house genres of this EP. A little sumthin' sumthin' for beginning, middle, or peak of your sets."
Marques Wyatt - "Tight beats."
Richard Earnshaw (Spiritchaser / Duffnote) - "Decent stuff throughout."
Dutchican Soul - "A really nice and diverse package … I will be supporting this."
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - "Some very tasty dance music here. Great work."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "A really beautiful collection of tracks here … right up my alley."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - "Proper feel-good deep house on Haldo's 'Sleepin' Travel'."
Eddy Spirit (Spirit Crew / Janga Radio) - "Another brilliant release from this Italian label … it's distinguishable for its catchy and penetrating groove. The EP's sound never becomes banal like a lot that you hear nowadays. A piece that you shouldn't miss."
Greg Fenton (Magazine Sixty / DMC Magazine) - "Good track here from Haldo."
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - "Simply groovylicious."
Dean Serafini (JJazproJect) - "Some serious heat in this lot."

Available now from Traxsource.

Various Artists - Impossible EP #3 (Rebus Records)

The Impossible series of EPs is a place for artists and producers in the Proceed Records family to stretch out a bit and try some new sounds. If a track doesn’t quite sonically fit on an artist’s EP on Proceed but still has the quality and dance floor appeal that demands to be heard then this is the place for it. Thus the third in a series, the Impossible EP #3, gathers five tracks from some of Proceed’s shining Italian producers, this time showcasing them on the Rebus Records sub-label.

Proceed’s proprietor, DJ / producer Haldo, who has also released cuts through Transport Recordings, Conya, and Adaptation Music, is represented by his pure and joyous house Deepfunkmix of “Rebus’funk.” A sure-shot bass line is guided by wonderfully atmospheric pads, key stabs, and synth accents with reverberating disco strings cutting through the layers. Haldo’s touch can also be heard in his additional keyboards on the EP’s contribution from Fabio Mazzei, a talented new deep house producer from Catanzaro. ”Just Me Again Down Here" is a hypnotic trip with growling bass and vocals that playfully question the listener. Having participated on the second edition of the Impossible EP projects, Fuscobeat & Magrini are welcomed back with “Green Afrika.” The track is a tribal floor-filler with flavorful, deep chords by Haldo once again. Tuscany-based Tony Barbato first started DJ’ing throughout Italy in the late ’90s enjoying production success and gigs at venues like the Parisian Djoon club. His work on “Love Is Endless" gives retro inspirations from past decades new life in a modern, big room context. Finally, Odo Makes A Smile compliments the package with his vision, commanding deep house vibes out of otherwise minimal techno elements in “Not Too Bad.”

Claudio Coccoluto - “Nice package!”
Richard Earnshaw (Spiritchaser / Duffnote) - “Tony Barbato’ s ‘Love Is Endless’ … very nice!”
Henri Kohn (Conya / Clubstar) - “Cool EP … all tracks have quality!”
Hippie Torrales - “Great EP package.”
Master Kev (Underground Collective) - “Nice! I will definitely play these.”
Nick Holder - “Dope!”
Tyree Cooper - “Nice stuff.”
Deli G (The Touch / Future Sound Of House) - “Every cut on this EP is rocking.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “A truly eclectic EP, with Fabio Mazzei’s wicked deep house gem ‘Just Me Again Down Here’’ bringing memories from back in the day.”
Mauricio Aviles (Movido / Loveslap!) - “Dope EP! A little something for everyone.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “There’s something very cool about this one … I’m into it. Haldo’s ‘Rebus’funk’ particularly doing it for me.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - “Fuscobeat & Magrini’s ‘Green Afrika’ is probably one of the most uplifting house tracks I’ve heard in 2014 so far.”
Dean Serafini (JJazproJect) - “Haldo’s ‘Rebus’funk’ and Fabio Mazzei’s ‘Just Me Again’ work best for me but I can see myself making use of all five tracks. A nice varied package of well produced deep and funky vibes.”
Michael Stukes (Mystic Vybes Radio Show) - “Some serious grooves on this baby, here!”

Available now from Traxsource.

Haldo - Back to the Past #1 (Proceed Records)

Founded by renowned DJ / producer Haldo, Italian house music label Proceed Records is proud to present the Back to the Past #1 EP, the first in a series of familiar songs covered in a deep house style. No stranger to producing deep and soulful house music, Haldo has released with labels such as Transport Recordings, Conya, Adaptation Music, and labels of his own with remix work for house heavyweights like Tony Humphries and Victor Simonelli. For this first installment he adds his finesse to ’70s disco, ’80s new wave pop, and ’90s house and soul with the help of vocalists Sergi’o and Silvio Gigante (also known as London producer Stereo-Junkie).

Silvio Gigante contributes vocals to two of the EP’s cuts; with his help, Haldo turns gospel-singer-turned-disco-songstress Roberta Kelly’s “Zodiac” into a driving cosmic trip. Next, Silvio and Haldo transform the ever-lovely Sade’s “Paradise” into a speedier wave of synth pleasure with a sense of an easy-going groove, much like the source. Enter Sergi’o from stage left, singing on “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free,” Sting’s aphorism-inspired original. In Haldo’s Deep Mix a jazz tinge is kept, but to spacious effect. After stumbling across a DJ tool acapella for “Finally,” Haldo decided a more sophisticated and smooth song was waiting to be built around CeCe Peniston’s classic. His Different Mix does just this, all while maintaining the fun of the original. Combined, this release is a chance to take a trip down memory lane, entertaining new ones along the way.

CJ Mackintosh - “This version of ‘Paradise’ is nice.”
Glenn Underground - “The new music on ‘Finally’ is superb.”
Nick Holder - “I’m digging this.”
Mr.V (Sole Channel Music) - “‘Zodiac’ is the one!”
Hippie Torrales - “Real smooth work … great covers.”
Abicah Soul - “‘Paradise’ is sweet.”
Claudio Coccoluto - “Nice tracks!”
Lorenzo al Dino (7th District) - “Killer package of songs … well done!”
Vincent Kwok - “Some nice, deep tracks here … great job!”
Mark Mac (The Sounds Collective) - “What a top EP. It’s great to revisit some classics and bring them into the present.”
Jamie Topham (CDPool) - “A very fine effort from that man Haldo, extremely brave to take on such club classics on this four tracker. This has been given some pure love from all involved.”
Alan Powell (The Midnight Mix on Solar Radio) - “Every track from this EP is of the highest quality … fantastic remakes of great soulful tunes.”
Phonatics (Housesession Records) - “This is brilliant … I will be giving these remakes a spin!”
Marco Fullone (Radio Monte Carlo) - “Very nice package … classic songs with new super elegant deep house attitude. Bravo!”
DJ Soulmate (Summer Fondue Sessions, Russia) - “Wow, a very cool selection of old goodies in a soulful flavor! I really love every track.”
DJ Phil T (DJ Times Magazine) - “Simply amazing … I love these remakes. Deep, soulful, and hot!”
Mason Rothert (Below Zero Radio Show) - “Yes! I dig this soulful sound.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “A gorgeous EP bringing back memories from yesteryear.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.

Friscia & Lamboy - Ha Ha Ha (Rebus Records)

Aldo “Haldo” Carpanzano has been the resident DJ for the past twenty years at one of the most important clubs in Southern Italy, Rebus Disconight. It’s at this club that he’s played host of some of the more important DJs on the soulful house scene, including Little Louie Vega, Tony Humphries, Ralphi Rosario, Victor Simonelli, and many more. Inspired by Rebus Disconight and Haldo’s sonic adventures at the club comes the label Rebus Records. The label’s fifth release comes courtesy of NYC duo Friscia & Lamboy, presenting the inventive house music cut “Ha Ha Ha.” The pair is comprised of Glenn Friscia, eleven year veteran of one of the highest rated radio mix shows in the the USA, and Frank Lamboy, a classically trained keyboardist who has produced and remixed the likes of Michelle Weeks, Joi Cardwell, and Gina G. “Ha Ha Ha” is a high-charged dance track with some potent, churning rhythms and an effective vocal sample hook that inspires the track’s name. This one’s tailor-made for the rowdiest of nightclubs, certain to be a huge dance floor moment when strategically programmed into the DJ’s set.

The aforementioned Haldo leads a trio of remixers with his Dirty Floor Mix. A pulsing electronic bass line pushes the flow while Haldo’s trademark warm chords and shimmering pads are joined by a smooth saxophone riff and rhythmically placed sample hits of the vocal. Next, Proceed Records remixing veteran Odo Makes A Smile delivers a moody, Italo-influenced take on “Ha Ha Ha” that is characterized by rolling arpeggiations, dramatic breakdowns, and big synth sounds. Finally DJ E-Ro, another name familiar to Proceed and Rebus label fans, strips things down a tad with a booming version featuring a metallic percussion line, a swirling synth solo, and a chorus of handclaps to help inspire the dance floor.

Chuck Love - “This one will cause a commotion. Nice deep ride with bumpy bass, and clangy hits. Dirty floor means dirty feets!”
DJ Disciple - “I like the Haldo’s Dirty Floor Remix.”
Grant Nelson - “In the bag for sure!”
Vincent Kwok - “I really like the Odo Makes A Smile remix!”
DJ Memê (Soulfuric / Defected) - “Yes!”
Guy Garrett (DMC) - “Sounding fresh and cutting the crowd in the club for sure … a perfect summer gem.”
Charles Spencer (Galaxy Group) - “Nice release … the Odo Makes A Smile remix is groovy.”
Hippie Torrales - “Nice solid groove.”
Alan Powell (The Midnight Mix Radio Show) - “Wow … the jazz tip on Haldo’s mix is pure heat. I’m giving this mix a 10 out of 10!”
Gordon Murray (Billboard Magazine) - “A great track and remixes.”
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - “Haldo’s uber-cool melodious workout is the one.”
Fabrizio Marra (Ibiza Global Radio) - “DJ E-Ro’s mix rocks the dance floor … I love this deep tech vibe.”
Aldrin (Zouk Club) - “A nice, warm groove here from Haldo.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “Working a nice blend of soulful and tougher house sounds … I like this.”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - “Haldo’s Dirty Floor Remix is the one here … a strong deep sax-driven house monster.”

Available now from Juno Download and Beatport.